TRAM CONCESSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 618, 22 September 1909, Page 4

TRAM CONCESSIONS.

WORKING. OF THE ; 'nE\V : ' SCHEME , ,; The first,week's experience of.the-newr'-con-oession tickets 'issued' by tho Tramway Depart- ?! eu V ns - a -' , rei W : ' o£ • tlio recommendations ■ of, llichardson,' engineer,,; and manager of the local hues;'lias tan;reported on- as under by.Hr.:J.-W.':t!alUglian.'cashier to the tramways:-^ .'■■ ' ;•'.<; .-■ ; ■-•.:."'■ v'-'"; . •''•. : - : .-: v ; iOs., and .considering that wo havo redeemed 2s. 6d, worth. o!: ld.'and lid, coupons during .the week, the result must be considered highly• ..satisfactory. '.'\l am convinced' that this sales will increase as the - old coupons are used up and, as the prejudice whioh attaches to every new .system disappears. Tue. sales of 3d. and «l;. tickets on .Island Bay seofion have' very greatly increased. /JL'he sales of 4d. tickets last baluruuy.. totalled 659, whilst on the previous baturday they'numbered only' 101. / ."With, regard to the.objections which have been raised against the-now cards,-might lbe I permitted to say they aro not very tangible, i'or instance, thero is -th'e argument that 'where .there,lire.-,three in u family liring.'at lslwid Uny -they have to spend llis.. Gd. to get' the' concession. This seems to.disclose a hardship, but when it is borne in inind that-those samd three people; wouldMiave .had to-put-by 'at 'east, .nine, shillings (and> probably..'eighteen' shillings,: if .they, were paid 'fortnightly)-to procure;one op' two. weeks',daily ; advantages of the.sixpenny roturns, , it is 'clear that , there is a. savmr for them- under the" now. system. .Inis. will to..especially noticeable in.-'the'case of people Inlying Island Bay-Courtenay Place tickets.-. It. is contended that.tho tickets ought to bo transferable, but.to make (them sowould destroy... tho residential:, safeguard.' .that .now exists'. .It. the rulo .of ono passenger ouo ticket was, altered, it .would bo possible .for visitors to make, up parties, to travel on-.one ticket, and ihus'obtain the concession which ismeant w.apply. only ; to : rcsidehts.."is to' the other aspect, of the case, it .would, be a simple matl.ter; for holders of concession . tickets 'to leave '»'O or _threo rides on. partly-used'tickets,'which ;.cbuld;:bc utilised ,by. those • inembers :df •:their families who only .ride , occasionally.: ■ ■ ■■; ■ ."With regard .to, the; abolition of- the 'Id; land ljd. coupons,:, I; strongly.:urge :that the enormous. expense of the 'coupon systom was never .warranted. -The demand* for coupons came-mostly-from, tradespeople who required them .to', hand'out'.to message boys: for ordinary: people's requirements a tioket for ;a: stated number'.of; rides is; quiteas convenient. .- As I 'have-pointed out in previous fe--Ipoi;ts;itho;.heDLvr cost to the city of the cash: and ticket offices has. been, due 'in -a large measure.to the extensivo'and cumbersome system of '.: Furthermore, coupons are a constant', source.of worry .to the conductors, as they, are 60 easily lost; iii fact, nearly all disputes ■•usv'.to,. shortages, have' been caused through,them. ;The;conductors.are unanimous , ln'.theic. praise :of'the new cards'. . While ad-' nutting that tie'wishes' of.. the office • and conductors'imist not be placed before the conveni. crice of the public; I think due, consideration should be given to this aspect o{ the case."